Royal Humane Society 250th Anniversary service
11th September 2024St Pauls
The Royal Humane Society had their 250th anniversary service at St. Pauls, celebrating their long history of promoting lifesaving, particularly in relation to swimming and resuscitation.
I joined a large congregation which included several other masters and many dignitaries, including previous recipients of bravery awards from the Society, for a very fine event.
The very first award citation from 1774 was read out, about the rescue of a baby that fell into an aqueduct in London, together with more recent examples of extreme courage.
Most moving of all was the award of the Society’s Gold medal for bravery to Emily Greenwood, in person, by the Duke of Gloucester, standing in for the Society’s President, Princess Alexandra.
Out walking her child in a wheelchair on the beach in January 2023, she noticed a step-father and son in serious trouble in a rip tide current in Holywell Bay in Cornwall. Plunging into the water without a wetsuit, she had to swim out 100m in severe, cold, waves and then swim another 400m to get them back to safety. Undoubtedly, she saved their lives!
Knowing this area of coast from holidays nearby, I can appreciate what an extraordinary effort this was – we wear wetsuits in July, never mind going into the water in January!